Home at Last
by BettyHall223
Summary: Midnight Conversation and Daddy's Home were the first two stories of this series. This is the final story as Jack retires and comes home.


_Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are not my property. No copyright infringement is intended._

After arriving at the Colorado Springs airport, Jack walked into the waiting area to see Daniel and Teal'c. They both gave him a hug as they welcomed him home.

The three friends talked as they walked to the parking lot to Daniel's car and Daniel got his keys from his pocket. "Sam and Gracie don't expect you until next Saturday."

"I thought about telling Sam I was coming home but decided to surprise them."

"I take it you finished everything in Washington?" Daniel asked as he unlocked the car and Jack threw his bag into the trunk. Teal'c got in the back seat and Jack got in on the front passenger side.

Jack put on his seatbelt. "All the paperwork has been turned over to the new guy and the President and I had one final meeting yesterday to wrap things up. I won't have to deal with the pressures of the job any more."

Daniel started the car. "I'm sure it's a big relief."

"You bet it is. I'm so looking forward to retirement and spending time with Sam and Gracie and the baby."

"Your daughter is eagerly awaiting your return, O'Neill" Teal'c said.

Jack turned to look at him. "I've really missed her and Sam."

Daniel smiled. "Right after you left last time, Sam made a two month calendar for Gracie to count down the days until you came home and Sam put the calendar on the refrigerator. Every night before Gracie goes to bed, she marks a big X through another day. She has been so anxious for you to come home."

Jack sighed. "It's been a long seven weeks."

They arrived at Jack and Sam's house and Daniel started up the driveway. As they came closer, they could see Sam in front of the house, watering the flowers. She was wearing a sundress and her hair was in a ponytail.

Daniel stopped the car and they watched as Sam's eyes grew big. She turned off the water and dropped the hose as she ran toward the car.

"Jack!" she yelled as a smile lit up her face.

Jack quickly got out of the car, Sam threw her arms around him and they hugged each other tightly.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming home?" she squeaked.

Jack laughed. "I wanted to surprise you."

They heard the front door open and turned to see Gracie.

"Daddy!" Gracie yelled as she came down the steps one by one, as fast as her little legs would take her.

Jack held out his arms as Gracie launched herself at him.

"Are you here to stay?"

"I certainly am, sweetheart."

"Yay!" Gracie wrapped her arms around Jack's neck.

They went into the house and sat down in the den.

"Why are you home now, Jack?" Sam asked. "I'm glad to see you but we didn't expect you for another week."

"As I told Teal'c and Daniel, I finished up the paperwork, met with the President yesterday and there was nothing more to keep me there, so here I am."

Gracie looked into Jack's eyes. "You're not going back there? You're gonna stay here with me and Mommy?"

"No, I'm not going back. I promise."

"Pinky promise?" she asked as she held out her hand.

Jack grinned and pulled her little finger with his. "Pinky promise."

Gracie slid off Jack's lap and went into the kitchen. She came back with the calendar that Sam had made for her and handed it to Sam.

"We won't need this any more, Mommy" she said emphatically.

They all laughed as Gracie got back on Jack's lap and he gave her a hug.

Sam asked Daniel and Teal'c to stay for dinner.

Sam made a big pot of spaghetti as Jack put together a salad and Daniel sliced the bread. Teal'c carried the dishes, silverware and napkins outside so they could eat at the picnic table on the deck.

They ate at a leisurely pace and talked into the evening.

It came time for Daniel and Teal'c to leave, so Jack walked them to the door, as Gracie followed him, and he thanked them for the ride home.

Jack returned to the deck to help Sam bring the rest of the dishes inside and Gracie stayed right behind him. He soon noticed what she was doing and leaned over to look into her eyes. "Sweetie, why are you following me?"

Gracie's lip trembled and tears started down her face. "I don't want you to leave me."

Sam watched as Jack picked up Gracie, sat down in a chair and brushed the tears from her cheeks. "I already promised I won't leave you. I'm not going anywhere. When you wake up tomorrow morning, I'll be right here. Okay?"

Gracie sniffed and nodded her head.

Jack held her until she stopped crying.

"It's past your bedtime, honey."

"Will you read me a story?"

Sam put her hand on Gracie's shoulder. "Daddy can read you a story but you need a bath before you go to bed. You've been playing outside all day."

After Jack helped Gracie with her bath, they went to her room and he sat down on her bed as she chose one of her books.

After fighting sleep for so long, Gracie finally dozed off. Sam watched as Jack kissed her on the forehead and tucked her in.

Jack took Sam's hand and they went to their bedroom and Sam turned to face him.

"It's so good to have you home, Jack. I've missed you so much. I love you."

"It's so good to be home. I love you too." He kissed her then buried his face in her neck as he hugged her.

************

At breakfast the next morning, Gracie reminded Jack that he and Sam had promised her a kitten.

Sam poured Jack another cup of coffee. "There have been two things that Gracie has talked about most, you coming home and getting a kitten."

Later that day, Gracie and Jack got into his truck and drove to the pet shop to get everything they would need for the cat. Gracie was so excited as they headed to the pet adoption center.

They stopped to look at the dogs but Gracie soon tugged on Jack's hand to go see the cats.

As they approached, a young woman was feeding them.

"May I help you, sir?"

"I want a kitten" Gracie spoke up.

"As you can see, we have lots to choose from. Do you have a certain breed or color in mind?"

"I don't think she has a preference" Jack answered.

Gracie took her time looking at all the cats, then pointed at a calico. Its face was white but the rest of it was a mixture of orange and black.

"Why does that one walk funny?" she asked.

"She was either born with her back leg that way or she may have been abused" the woman explained. "She's been here awhile, we've had a hard time placing her. It seems that no one wants to adopt a cat with a limp."

"How old is she?" Jack asked.

"Three or four months. Someone put her in a box and left her in front of the store."

"Nobody wanted her?" Gracie asked.

The woman shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

Gracie looked up at Jack. "That's mean."

Jack put his arm around her shoulder. "Yes it is, sweetheart."

Gracie sat down on the floor as the cat limped over to them, looked at her and mewed. She held out her hand and the cat sniffed her fingers as Gracie carefully picked her up. She put her cheek on top of the cat's head and it began to purr.

Jack scratched the cat behind its ears as Gracie gently petted her.

"Is she the one you want, honey?"

Gracie nodded. "She needs lots of love, Daddy, since she can't walk too good."

The woman smiled and looked at Jack. "Your daughter has a kind heart."

Jack smiled. "Yes, she does."

After filling out the adoption papers and paying for the cat, they got into the truck.

Jack could see that the cat was nervous and once the truck was in motion, she started to meow loudly.

Gracie stared at the cat. "What's wrong with her?"

"Cats down usually like to ride, honey. She'll settle down when we get her home."

When they arrived, Jack took the carrier into the house as Gracie followed.

Sam was dusting the furniture in the den and she stopped to see the new cat.

Jack set down the carrier and opened the door. The cat was hesitant about coming out into this unfamiliar place. Gracie held out her hand. The cat took a tentative step and put one paw on the floor, then walked to Gracie.

Sam's eyes grew wide. "She limps."

Gracie looked up at Sam. "She needs me to love her, Mommy. No one else will."

Sam looked at Jack.

"No one wanted to adopt her" he explained.

Gracie got on the sofa as Sam picked up the cat and set it on Gracie's lap.

Jack sat down beside Gracie.

"Honey, that was very sweet of you to choose a cat that no one else wanted. I'm very proud of you."

Gracie smiled as Sam sat down beside her. "What are you going to name her?"

Gracie shook her head. "I don't know."

Jack scratched the cat under her chin. "She has a lot of orange patches mixed in with the black."

Gracie's face lit up. "I'll name her Patches."

Over the next few months it became apparent that Patches was devoted to Gracie, sitting on Gracie's lap or lying right beside her.

Since the day they had brought Patches home, she had slept on Gracie's bed. Jack or Sam would sometimes come into Gracie's room in the morning to find Patches sleeping right beside Gracie's head.

With lots of love and attention, Patches grew into a beautiful cat.

Jack was enjoying retirement and spending time with Gracie and Sam. They went on picnics, spent time at the park and took trips to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Gracie's fourth birthday was coming up so Jack and Sam planned a party.

As everyone started to arrive, Gracie put a tiny party hat on Patches' head and she wore it for a few minutes until she began to paw at it, so Sam took pity on her and took it off.

As Sam held Patches and watched Gracie enjoy her birthday party, she thought about Schrodinger, and how easy it is to become attached to a pet.

************

Jack and Sam had found out that they were having a son.

Now in her final week of pregnancy, Sam had been experiencing back pains throughout the night. Just as the sun was rising, the pains were coming several minutes apart and each one was more intense than the last.

Sam pushed herself up from the bed and shook Jack's shoulder. "Jack, wake up."

Jack turned over and mumbled.

"Jack, wake up!" Sam said louder.

He was suddenly awake. "What?"

"I'm in labor."

Jack quickly got out of bed and hurriedly dressed as Sam put on her bathrobe.

Jack ran into Gracie's room to find her sitting up in bed looking at a book with Patches beside her.

"Honey, you need to get dressed. We have to take Mommy to the doctor."

"The baby's coming?"

"Yes, now hurry."

Jack and Gracie met Sam at the front door and he could see that Sam was really hurting.

Jack opened the door, picked up Sam's overnight bag and they hurried to Sam's car.

As Sam got in, Jack quickly strapped Gracie into her car seat. Sam called the SGC and spoke with Dr. Lam to let her know they were on their way. Dr. Lam told her that she would inform Teal'c and Daniel.

Jack glanced at Sam as he drove as fast as he could. He reached over and squeezed her hand as she grasped his.

Sam bit her lip. "Oh, Jack . . . hurry."

They finally arrived at the SGC where Dr. Lam and an SF were waiting with a wheelchair. Jack got Gracie out of the car and he got Sam's overnight bag. The SF helped Sam to stand and she sat down in the wheelchair as Jack picked up Gracie and they headed inside.

Teal'c and Daniel met them outside the infirmary. Jack set Gracie on the floor and Daniel took her hand.

"Stay with Uncle Danny and Uncle T, honey."

Gracie looked up at Daniel. "Will Mommy be okay?"

Daniel smiled. "Yes, Mommy will be okay."

Daniel and Teal'c took Gracie to the commissary to get breakfast.

"Are you excited that you will soon have a baby brother?" Teal'c asked.

Gracie nodded her head as she swallowed a bite of cereal. "Now I'll have somebody to play with all the time."

Daniel, Teal'c and Gracie waited outside the infirmary.

Sam had packed a few of Gracie's books and a coloring book and crayons in her overnight bag so Gracie would have something to keep her occupied.

As they waited, Daniel read a book to Gracie and she now sat in Teal'c's lap with the crayons and coloring book.

Jack held Sam's hand as the next contraction came.

"I'm so tired, Jack."

Jack wiped the perspiration from her face. "I know you are, honey."

Dr. Lam looked at her and smiled. "You're doing great, Sam."

With the next contraction, Sam heard Dr. Lam say "here he comes."

Sam pushed with all the strength she had left and they heard the baby cry.

"Is he okay?" Sam asked.

"We'll check him over to be sure and we need to clean him up a little. We'll bring him right back."

One of the nurses carefully wrapped the baby in a blanket and took him away.

Jack kissed Sam on her forehead as tears filled her eyes. He sat down beside her and put his arm around her.

In a few minutes, Dr. Lam returned with the baby and laid him in Sam's arms.

Sam kissed the baby on the cheek. "Oh Jack, he's beautiful."

Overcome with emotion, Jack nodded his head.

Sam held the baby as they counted fingers and toes, then she handed him to Jack and a smile lit up his face.

"Hey there, little fella. I'm your Dad."

Sam smiled as she wiped her eyes.

After holding the baby for a few minutes Jack asked one of the nurses to get Gracie, Daniel and Teal'c.

Daniel came into the infirmary as Teal'c followed carrying Gracie and he set her on the floor.

Jack gave the baby back to Sam and he lifted Gracie up on the bed.

Gracie looked the baby over from head to toe. "He's so little, Mommy."

Sam gave her a hug. "Yes he is but he'll grow pretty fast."

Gracie sat very still, staring at her brother.

"What name have you chosen?" Teal'c asked.

"His name is Jonathan Charles. We'll call him Jon" Jack answered.

Daniel had a camera in his hand. "Jack, move in a little closer so I can get all of you."

Jack sat down on the bed and put his arm around Sam as Gracie sat between them.

Daniel snapped a few more pictures and just as he finished, the baby began to cry.

Sam put Jon to her shoulder and rubbed his back. "He's probably hungry so I need to feed him."

Gracie climbed off the bed as Daniel kissed Sam on the cheek. "Congratulations, Sam."

Sam smiled. "Thanks, Daniel."

Gracie looked up at Jack. "I'm hungry."

Teal'c held out his hand. "Come with me, Miss Gracie. I believe that blue Jell-o is being served today in the commissary."

Gracie took Teal'c's hand and shook her head. "Blue's yucky. I like red!"

Jack grinned at Sam. "That's my girl!"

Just as Daniel, Teal'c and Gracie got to the door, Gracie turned around and looked at her parents.

"Take good care of my baby brother."

Jack smiled. "We will, sweetheart. We will."

The End


End file.
